


Almarëa

by Alohomora92



Series: Almarëa [3]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Action, F/M, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Romance, Sequel to Elerrina
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-30
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-03-20 08:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3644073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alohomora92/pseuds/Alohomora92
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There were so many things she needed to know. So many things she wished she remembered. And so many things that still remained secret. And yet, even in the forests of Mirkwood, the powerful blue-stoned ring, Vilya keeps calling to her, and her father, King Thranduil seems to know things he is not yet willing to share... Sequel to Elerrina, ElladanXOC</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

The Queen of Mirkwood was running. Her feet moved swiftly over the cold stone floor, almost desperately, curving in and out of hallways. The deep blue velvet of her night robes tangled with her legs, flying behind her as she ran. Screams. Voices yelling orders. Loud noises echoes in the majestic stone walls, their words incomprehensible. Frightened screams were swallowed by pleas of mercy, hanging like a taunting smoke on the cold night air. Figures running. Swords clashing. Arrows flying. 

Bodies. So many bodies, male and female, dashed through the hallways, running into each other in a chaotic disorder. So many bodies lay lifelessly on the hard stone floor, or gasping their last breath among the living souls. The Lady kept running, not sparing a look back as she squeezed in between the masses of running warriors and screaming maids. Her golden hair twirled behind her, long strands out of place, tangling with the tiny jewels that adorned her braids. 

Her right hand held tightly to the tiny hand of a crying elfling, pulling him along with her as his tiny feet struggled to catch up with her long steps. His large sky blue eyes looked left and right, crystal tears stained by the ashes that floated in the air, his wails muted by the loud noises of the fiery battle that filled the palace. 

Her other hand carried the fragile body of a baby against her chest, using a white silk blanket as only means of protection from the harsh air. The baby cried, but the elegant Lady did not pay attention to her newborn daughter as she guided both of her children through the infernal stone corridors. Every elf was running, not paying attention to their surroundings, to who ran next to them; Lords and servants, Ladies and maids, all together in a desperate run. Some of them cried, some yelled, some anxiously tried to find a loved one in the midst of the chaos. A group of warriors ran past her, swords raised, ready to strike, but she did not turn to look as she heard the clashing of metal hitting metal only a couple of feet behind her. 

“Arahaelon!” She shouted as she saw the familiar face of her first-born son suddenly appear through the mass of running elves. He ran to her, easily avoiding the running maids and servants, alert green eyes filled with worry and fear. 

Immediately he picked the crying elfling in his strong arms and the tiny pair of hands quickly locked around his neck, feeling secure in his older brother’s safe grip. The Crown Prince’s eyes glanced quickly around them before placing one arm around the golden haired Lady’s shoulder and reassuming their run. The elfling kept wailing, scared, his face now buried in Arahaelon’s shoulder, their strands of hair of the same light blond color tangling together. 

The Queen of Mirkwood could not tell exactly where the battle was taking place at the moment, could not tell where in the palace the enemies had already infiltrated as she ran along hundreds of elves towards the safety of the underground passages. But safety seemed so far away, so unreachable.

“Where are Lossenel and Tadion?!” She yelled, her voice almost inaudible in the chaos as she used now both of her arms to hold her crying baby daughter tighter against her chest. 

“Lossenel is safe!” Was the short answer while Arahaelon pushed all of them to the ground just in time as a large rock broke through a large crystal window. 

There was an unmistakable edge of fear in his usually serene voice as all of his senses seemed sharper now, wide alert to his surroundings. A surprised cry escaped the Queen’s lips as shattered crystal rained over them, some of them cutting through their skin. One of the larger pieces opened a large cut just before the Crown Prince’s right ear, but he did not seem to notice. The elfling wailed louder, his tiny hands holding tighter to his eldest brother’s neck. 

“It is alright, Legolas” The Lady soothed the crying elfling as her eyes shot up to meet those of her eldest son. 

“Where is Tadion?!” She repeated her unanswered question as they rose to their feet once more. Her voice betrayed her frantic worry and panic, and her green eyes pleaded her son for an answer. “Where is your brother?!” 

“I do not know! He ran upstairs, I was going after him!” His green eyes looked frantically to left and right as they once again ran down the now unrecognizable long corridors. 

Some of the walls had tumbled down, some staircases now completely blocked. The sounds of the fight were closer to them, making it impossible to know where was it safe to run. There was no time to waste. Another group of elven warriors ran past them, swords ready in their hands. 

“The King is still in the council room! All entrances have been blocked!” She heard one of the warriors informing the others as they disappear in the crowd of running bodies. 

“Nana, Ada is fine!” Arahaelon yelled at the Queen as she turned her head in the direction of the warriors, his free hand pushing her to keep running forward. 

“My Lady!” A tall blond elf still in dress robes grabbed her arm, pulling her to the left into an opened doorway. “This way! A wall collapsed some feet ahead, if you keep going you will find a dead end!” 

The elf guided her through the opened door, leading her down the stone spiraling staircase normally used by the servants. She stopped three steps down, turning to look behind her as a maid suddenly stopped by them. 

“Sidhel, this way!” The Queen yelled at the maid. Arahaelon carefully handed the crying Legolas to Sidhel, the elfling quickly shifting his grip from around his brother’s neck to around the maid’s who quickly started to descend down the stone stairs towards her Queen.

“Your Highness!” Another group of guards shouted as they appeared dawn the hallway, stopping by the Crown Prince. Arahaelon turned quickly in their direction, pulling a long shiny sword out of its sheath before turning to glance at his mother one last time. 

“Your Majesty, keep going!” The blond elf at the door urged her. The Queen could feel Sidhel’s hand grabbing hers, pulling her down a couple of steps as she was torn in between continuing or running back to her son. 

“My son!” She yelled, her face looking behind her as Sidhel pulled her quickly down the steps. “Arahaelon!” 

“I have to find Tadion!” He shouted, throwing her one last glance before disappearing into a run back the way they had come, the group of warriors following him. 

She heard the door close at the top of the stairs, but it was no longer visible to them as they spiraled downwards. The Lady did not turn to look, but she could tell that the blond elf that had opened the door was not following them, probably gone to join the others in battle. 

Then a flash of light dashed through the air, blinding everything out with a power larger than she had ever witnessed. It seemed to blow her against the stone with an unimaginable force, muting every single sound, shaking the walls and floors, slapping her hair widely against her face. She felt Sidhel’s body next to her, holding onto the elfling as tightly as she held her baby, both of them unable to move against the powerful blinding force. A single name crossed the Queen’s mind at this power she knew existed although had never witnessed before: Thranduil.


	2. The Song of the Forest

The cool night breeze toyed gently with her hair as she stood at the large balcony. It had stopped snowing some hours ago, and a thick layer of white covered the forest of Mirkwood, shimmering in pale silvers and blues under the dark blue sky. It was quiet. The only sound that reached her ears was the soothing lullaby of the wind as it caressed her face, playing a serene tune for the sleeping trees to sway in an enchanting waltz. 

Elerrina let her eyes absently fall on the sleeping realm of Mirkwood. It was still an hour before the first rays of sunrise would wash over the forest. The sight held a beauty that only some months ago she had never dreamt she would see. And yet, it was right in front of her eyes now, right under the large balcony at her bedchamber in the palace. By dawn every elf in Mirkwood would know about her. The King had not yet formally presented her, but word had already started to spread since the moment of her arrival at the palace the day before. Part of her was scared, part of her confused. She had not idea what to expect, had no idea how to be the Princess they would expect her to be. 

She shook her head slightly, forcing her thoughts into a different direction. The last hour of darkness felt oddly comforting, shielding her in her solitude. She had tried to sleep, but after long hours lying silently on her bed she finally recognized that sleep would not take her. The few times she had been about to give into the arms of sleep, the fresh image of the stream in the forest brought her back into the waking world. 

Slowly, Elerrina turned around and headed back inside the elegant chamber. The pale cream curtains framing the balcony swayed lightly at the silent breeze, casting pearl white reflections on the polished marble floor. Letting out a sigh she headed out of the chamber and into the long corridor outside. 

She did not really know where she was going, the twins would be sleeping by now, as well as Legolas and her other siblings. Walking through the deserted corridors of the palace felt more comforting that staying in that overly large chamber by herself. The tall thin columns seemed more delicate now in the emptiness of the night, the hallways wider and longer. Somehow, this cold emptiness felt friendly, like the only witnesses of her lonely walk. 

Her feet seemed to take her body on their own, her mind not really paying attention to where she was headed as she descend an elegant staircase. She only noticed where she was when she had reached a small empty terrace leading out to one of many gardens that surrounded the palace. 

The pale moonlight filtered through the pointed archway that framed the terrace, falling delicately over the elegant pieces of furniture that filled it. The wind had lifted some of the white snowflakes and deposited them at the edge of the terrace’s floor, creating a thin white borderline over the few steps that reached to the grass below. 

Silently, she made her way to a long chaise placed in one corner of the terrace. Her eyes carefully studied the gardens ahead, which resembled more of a free growing forest than a real garden. The forest of Mirkwood held an enchanting allure to it, both beautiful and at the same time frightening. Here, the song of the trees was louder than it ha been in Imladris, as if they could actually speak with one another, whispering secrets into the wind. And yet, the song did not felt strange to her ears. It felt natural to listen to it, it felt soothing and welcoming, as if the tall trees were singing only for her, knowing that she was listening. 

“They chant beautifully, do they not?” 

Elerrina jumped slightly at the unexpected voice, startled. She turned her head to look back in the direction of the speaker, surprised to see the tall regal figure of the Elvenking standing still beside one of the delicate columns that framed the entrance into the terrace. She quickly rose to her feet, not knowing how to react to this unexpected visitor. She did not know for how long he had been standing there and felt slightly embarrassed for not having acknowledged his presence before. She had been so immersed in her thoughts she had not even heard him approach.

His long light blond hair fell unbraided down his back, the silver moonlight glittering on the long strands, making them look paler than usual. No crown rested on his head, but that detail did nothing to lessen the royal aura that seemed to float around him. Ice blue eyes stared patiently into hers, so deep and powerful that she felt extremely young under those impenetrable eyes that gleamed with the experience of many millennia. 

“I am sorry, I did not hear…” She started but he gracefully held up a hand to stop her unnecessary apology. 

“May I join you?” He asked, a kind smile appearing in his fair face as one of his hands motioned to the chaise upon which she had been sitting only seconds ago. 

Elerrina quickly nodded her head as a reply, suddenly feeling at a loss of words at the presence of this elf that was both the King of Mirkwood and her father. She watched in silence as the Elvenking gracefully moved to where she stood, every movement naturally effortless. His long formal robes swirled elegantly behind him, the rich green fabric carefully embroidered in golden thread. Elerrina lowered herself on the chaise once again and he sat next to her, facing the gardens outside. 

“You are up early” He commented as he turned to look at her, infinite blue eyes seeming to penetrate into hers, so familiar and yet so strange. His voice was soft, as serene and quiet as his movements. 

“I could not sleep” Was her simple answer as she stared back into his powerful impenetrable eyes. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, and yet she could not gather the courage to do so. 

“I am sorry to hear that. Perhaps you can get some sleep later today.” He added with a gently smile, his eyes staring softly at her, so powerful and at the same time so kind and welcoming. 

She nodded her head as a reply, and wished she could think of something else to say. The Elvenking remained silent for a moment, not pushing her for a conversation. She wondered at what was the King doing up this early in the morning, but could not get herself to ask him. Suddenly she noticed that this small terrace was far too elegant and secluded to be one of the large public terraces that adorned the palace, and she suddenly felt that she was invaded some private space where she should not have been. 

“Do they always sing like that?” She said looking at the peacefully swaying trees. She wished she had come up with a better thing to say, but the Elvenking simply smiled at her, not minding the question at all. 

“Not always. Sometimes they do, other times they are quiet. Nobody really knows why. The forest sings whenever it pleases.” 

Elerrina nodded her head as a response letting her eyes turn once again to the gardens. She could feel the King’s eyes on her for moment before also turning his gaze ahead. Silence settled over them once more, the soft breeze bringing the soothing lullaby of the trees. 

“My Lord?” She said hesitantly, not really knowing how else to address him. Calling him father felt strange, and no matter how much she wanted to able to call him that, her mouth would simply not say it. And yet, calling him by his formal title of King felt too distant and she did not want to push him away. 

“Yes?” He turned his head to face her, his expression open and serene. Infinite ice blue eyes stared at her patiently, so welcoming and kind and yet so unreadable. Whatever he thought of the way she had chosen to address him invisible in his perfectly controlled expression. 

“Would you tell me about me?” He raised a fine eyebrow at her request, but his small smile did not disappear from his face. 

“And what would you like to know?” His voice was soft, so peaceful and royal. 

“Anything” 

She had not really thought of what she wanted to hear. She simply wanted to hear a story about her early childhood, needed to hear something to make her believe that she had indeed been born in this land. She needed it for everything to seem real. He let out a breath and turned his eyes to the gardens once again, a smile on his face. 

“You were never much of a trouble maker. You were mostly easy to please, nothing really bothered you, but when something did not please you, you had not problem in letting the entire forest know about it.” He turned his eyes to look at her and she felt a smile appearing on her face as he continued to speak. 

“You were mostly a happy child, never cried much. You could sleep anywhere, anytime, even in the most uncomfortable places, except at your own cozy crib at night. I was about to go insane.” She let out a light laugh and his smile widened. 

“I am sorry about that.” She said still laughing and the King of Mirkwood let out a single chuckle as he shook his head. 

“I once found you inside a drawer.” Her eyes instantly widened and he let out another musical chuckle. “Apparently you had been left playing with Legolas in Tadion’s chambers but you were crying and not being much fun. And so his solution was to pick you up and place you in a drawer. You can imagine my surprise when I opened the drawer looking for something and instead found you fast asleep over Tadion’s tunics.” 

She burst out in laughter at the story, her eyes wide in surprise and shock. The Elvenking also let out a light laugh, ice blue eyes staring deeply at her, as if the story gave him pleasant memories. One of his hands reached out and gently placed a strand of her golden hair behind her ear. 

“I cannot believe he did that!” She complained between chuckles, and he shook his head while laughing. 

“I could not either. He was grounded after that, and received a very long lecture. He was only an elfling at the time. Tadion thought it was hilarious and kept commenting on how he had never thought of doing that himself. You were their favorite toy, and many times the victim of their pranks. They would do anything to get your attention.”

She smiled at his words, trying to imagine the scenes he was describing and wishing she could remember any of it. The sun was starting to rise in the horizon, casting pale pink shadows on the snowy gardens and trees. 

“What was her name?” She asked in a barely audible voice. The Elvenking turned his head in her direction once more.

“Pardon me?” 

“My mother, I mean. What was her name?” She asked again, suddenly regretting her question as the smile slowly disappeared from his face. 

“Alarya” He said simply, his expression unreadable. The name rang a bell in her head. She had read it in the Lord Elrond’s letters back in Imladris, but had forgotten. 

The sound of approaching rushed footsteps caught the Elvenking’s attention, and he turned his head in the direction of the newcomer. She saw his face once gain become serious, his expression serene and composed, and yet his eyes were once again impenetrable, cold and powerful. 

A tall blond elf suddenly came into view, stopping at the entrance of the terrace. She recognized his face, although she did not know who he was. She had seen him before interacting with the King, and his long formal robes indicated that he was one of the high-ranking elves at the palace. The elf’s dark blue eyes did not look at her as he focused only on his King, his expression betraying some kind of urgency. 

“Your Majesty” The elf said with a small bow of his head, eyes looking directly at the Elvenking as the latter rose to his feet. 

The Kings eyes pierced into the newcomer’s dark blue eyes, something about their exchange of looks telling her that the King already knew they reason why his presence was sought. Without saying anything, the blond elf nodded his head silently, seeming to answer an unspoken question. 

“Excuse me” The Elvenking said to her suddenly, turning his head to look at her for a moment before making his way to where the other elf stood, both of them disappearing in a rush. 

Elerrina remained frozen in place, her mind trying to understand what had just happened. Suddenly she had the feeling that the King had not been awake so early by coincidence. Suddenly, she comprehended that he had probably been waiting for this elf to come looking for him, had been waiting for some information that had been silently delivered in that simple nod of the head.

Out in the gardens the sun was starting to rise over the heavy canopy of the forest, the trees now once again silent. A chilled morning breeze blew her face, and for a second, she though she could hear a very familiar whisper carried faintly in the distance, almost as if it was a fragment of her imagination: Vilya.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the story begins! Here is chapter 2!! I hope you like it! And please let me know what you think!!


	3. As Dawn Comes

Elerrina remained sitting quietly, the faint echo of the distancing footsteps still ringing in her ears. The royal image of the Elvenking rushing down the hallway behind the strange blond elf remained fresh in her head, the cold powerful look in his ice blue eyes still engraved in her mind. Outside, the golden daylight washed over the white snow in the gardens, and she could catch the sounds of the awakening elves as they started their day. The trees had once again gone silent, swaying delicately at the soothing morning breeze, their melodic serenade under the black night sky only a memory for those who had witnessed it. 

She rose from the chaise on which she had been sitting letting out a silent sigh. The day was already starting and that meant she would no longer be the only once awake in the palace. She made her way through the long corridors, not really remembering the way back, but not really caring where she ended up. She was actually surprised when she found herself walking once again down the familiar long corridor that led to her chambers. 

The corridor was empty, the five elegant doors shut close and the only sound that reached her ears was the light echo of her own silent footsteps. She let her eyes carefully study each one of the doors, wondering over the detailed patterns that were carved in them, each one seeming to be more beautiful than the one before. She did not know which door led to which of her sibling’s chambers and for a moment she wished she did. 

Elerrina paused for a second as she reached the delicately carved door that led to her own chambers. Her hand lingered above the golden doorknob for a moment, but she let it fall to her side once more, not really feeling like going inside. Instead, she made her way to the balcony at the end of the corridor, leaning her weight on the frail railing as she absently overlooked the forest of Mirkwood. 

The deaf sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears. Immediately her lips curved up into a smile as she recognized who it was without needing to turn around to look. She felt a pair of strong arms circling around her waist from behind, gently pulling her close a tall body. A soft chuckle escaped her lips and she let herself lean against Elladan’s chest as he pressed a light kiss on her cheek. 

“Good morning” His musical voice whispered softly in her left ear. 

She turned around in his arms and pressed her lips to his. Endless silver eyes stared deeply into hers, and she let herself drown in them, unable to look away even if she had wanted to. She could tell that he knew she had not slept, but he did not say anything as she entwined her fingers with his, his silver eyes never leaving hers. 

“Where is everyone?” She asked as her eyes signaled to the closed doors aligned in the elegant corridor. He raised a perfect eyebrow at her question and his lips curved into one of his characteristic playful smiles. 

“I thought my presence was enough for you.” He said teasingly as his eyes narrowed slightly, silver irises sparkling with mischief. His arms wrapped behind her back, pulling her closer to him as he spoke. 

“Dan!” She could not contain a chuckle from escaping her lips as she slapped him playfully in the shoulder. His musical laugh floated in the air as a response, the sound the sweetest she had ever heard. 

“Everyone is downstairs having breakfast.” He explained with a smile “Come, let us go join them before they eat all the good pastries” He turned to leave, his hand still holding to hers. 

“Dan” Her voice was low as she pulled lightly at his hand, stopping him in his march. He turned instantly to face her, silver eyes studying her attentively, the playful sparkle quickly replaced by concern as he caught the change in her tone. 

“What is it?” his voice was barely audible as he closed the distance between them. She felt one of his hands gently travel to rest on her cheek, his alert eyes searching into hers. She stared into his piercing silver eyes for a moment before she was able to speak again. 

“I heard the wind this morning” Her voice was so low she was not sure it was even making a sound, but the way in which his silver eyes seemed to penetrate her told her that he was listening. “I heard it” 

For a moment she only started into his eyes, green and silver piercing into each other, communicating him exactly what she meant by ‘it’. She know she should not mention Vilya out loud, not even to Elladan who knew of its existence, especially when being outside of Imladris. The faint echo of the ring’s whispers was still fresh in her mind. It had sounded so distant, so feeble, but it had been there. 

She saw new flash of worry cloud Elladan’s silver eyes, mixing with puzzlement and alarm as he stared at her, completely understanding her message. She knew there was nothing to be done on the matter. Neither of them could do anything about it, and nothing had really happened, but still she felt she needed to let him know. 

“It should not have been possible” 

He had drawn closer to her now, his voice nearly inaudible as his endless silver eyes stared worriedly into hers, slightly alarmed. Not knowing what to answer, she merely reached her hand to rest lightly over his on her cheek. She simply looked into his eyes, all of her worry, anxiety and puzzlement visible in her green eyes. 

“Rina, do not worry about it for now.” He added almost instantly at her worried expression, the look in his piercing silver eyes softening although she could still see a faint of caution and concern gleaming in their depths. Elladan then leaned in and placed a light kiss on her lips momentarily making her forget everything else. He took her hand in his once more, giving it a gentle squeeze as he started to lead her down the corridor. 

She followed Elladan through the long hallways of the palace. He moved through the labyrinth of pointed arches and open balconies with incredible ease, knowing exactly where everything was located. To any observer, the palace could have been his home and not hers. 

It did not take them long to reach a large pair of carefully crafted wooden doors. Her first impression was surprise at the lack of noise. She did not know exactly what she had been expecting, but the clear absence of the usual low chorus of voices immersed in conversation that filled the dinning room of Imladris was not present here. Instead, she could clearly understand four familiar voices, their tones light and friendly, almost like and understandable melody. 

Elladan opened one of the large doors and let her go in first before following close behind. Inside, the room was large. Thin columns stretched from the ground, branching out in the shapes of trees and leaves to trace the patterns of a golden forest canopy forming the ceiling. She was almost surprised to see only one large table placed in the center of the room, a wide variation of golden vases and plates containing all sorts of fruits, cheeses, breads and pastries resting over the delicate ivory tablecloth.

She could see Elrohir, Legolas, Tadion and Lossenel already sitting at the table, the four of them looking up from their casual conversation as they heard them enter the piece. The elegant and private atmosphere of the room told her that this was the dinning room where the royal family had their meals, and not the main dinning room of the palace. 

“Good morning” Elrohir and Legolas said animatedly in unison as Elladan led her towards the table. Her eyes fell on Lossenel, only to find the Princess’ sparkling ice green-blue eyes fixed on hers, a perfect small smile adorning her flawless face. Her expression was unreadable, her ice colored eyes impenetrable, but her smile was genuine, even if it was small. 

Elladan pulled out the chair to the right of Elrohir for her to sit, directly across from Lossenel. However, before she could even sit on the chair, Tadion had risen to his feet from his seat next to Lossenel. 

“Almarëa, please take my seat. Lossie and I would love to sit next to you this morning and get to know you better.” He said in a polite, gentle tone, the one belonging to the Prince of Morkwood he was. And yet, the daring gleam in his clear blue eyes as he threw a glance at Elladan made her completely understand the intention behind his actions. 

Elerrina could not help but smile, trying her best to suppress her laughter as she took the offered seat. Tadion instantly moved to take the vacant spot to her left side, leaving her sandwiched in between him and Lossenel. She could see Elrohir biting on a pastry in attempt to not laugh. Legolas’ bell like chuckles freely filled the room as Elladan silently took the seat next to his twin shaking his head lightly, silver eyes narrowed at Tadion and a grin of defeat flashing in his handsome face. One of the two maids that had been silently standing at the side of the large doors quickly moved through the room, moving Tadion’s plate and glass to his new seat and placing clean ones for her to use. 

“Sorry about that” Lossenel’s soft musical voice whispered lowly to her, in a volume she knew only she was able to hear. Her eyes found hers again, ice green-blue irises filled with light, so stunning and dazzling. “Would you like me to trade places with Elladan?” 

“It is alright.” She answered with a smile, unable to take her eyes from the gorgeous Princess that was also her older sister. 

Platinum hair cascaded down her back in collection of neat braids, adorned with tiny pearls that hung from delicate silver threads tangled in her braids. The golden topaz color of her dress complimented beautifully her pale skin, making her seem to glow with light. Everything about her seemed so delicate and royal Elerrina had a hard time believing she was related to her. 

Lossenel smiled at her in return, nodding her head lightly before centering her attention on her meal once again. She tried to think of something else to say to her, wanting nothing else than to keep talking with the stunning Lady, but before she could find anything to say she felt Tadion place his hand lightly on her arm, making her turn to look in his direction. 

“Did you sleep well?” His clear blue eyes were so peaceful and welcoming, so untroubled and open, his voice coming out so confident and casual, making her doubt he would ever have trouble in starting or keeping up a conversation. 

“Yes, I did” She lied easily, lost in the clear blue oceans of his welcoming eyes. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Elladan’s silver eyes turning in her direction every two seconds as he joined in Legolas and Elrohir’s conversation. 

“You are very good at lying.” He said in response, his lips curving up into a grin as his eyes narrowed slightly, sparkling with victory and mockery. “I would have completely believed you had I not heard you leave your chamber some hours before dawn.” 

She raised her eyebrows at his words, feeling her eyes widening a little and being unable to contain a surprised chuckle from escaping her lips. He raised an eyebrow in return, blue eyes staring at hers expectantly. 

“Fine.” She admitted “I could not sleep, so I went for a walk.” 

“How do I know you are not lying again?” He asked playfully, his eyes openly mocking her, as if he had known her his entire life. 

“You do not” She shrugged, deciding that if he was going to tease her, she was going to follow his game. She heard Lossenel’s musical laugh from her right, the sound like tiny silver bells floating on the air. Tadion leaned forward on the table, throwing a fake glare at Lossenel before sitting back straight again, the wide smile never leaving his lips. 

“Where is Arahaelon?” Elrohir’s voice suddenly asked, his kind silver eyes looking questioningly at Tadion. For the first time she noticed the absence of the Crown Prince in the room, her eyes turning to the large pairs of doors, almost expecting him to suddenly appear through one of them. 

“I have not seen him.” Came Tadion’s reply, as peaceful and casual as ever. “He must be with my Adar in a meeting. He was probably woken up very early.” 

“Is he usually awakened that early?” She inquired, trying to sound as casual as she could, not wanting to give away her curiosity on the topic or any clue as to her encounter with the Elvenking earlier that morning. 

“Sometimes.” Legolas was the one to answer, infinite blue eyes looking directly into hers. “When there is an important meeting or council, he must attend along with Ada. Ada, on the other hand must be very used to being sought in the middle of the night, although he is never wakened unless the matter is of significant importance.” 

“I see.” She said casually, trying to sound uninterested on the matter and Legolas smiled softly at her. She let her eyes wonder around the room, and for the first time she noticed the vacant throne like chair at the head of the table, the golden plate and crystal cup placed in front of it unused. The King had not yet come to breakfast. 

The image of the Elvenking as his ice blue eyes pierced the ones of the strange blond elf flashed through her mind once more. She could clearly imagine no elf wanted to wake up his King in the middle of the night, especially bringing bad news or unexpected problems, and she once again wondered as to what had been the reason for the King to be aroused from his bed this night. 

Elladan’s eyes flew to her once more, swallowing her in their endless pools of liquid silver, and she knew he knew that something troubled her. She let herself stare into his eyes for a moment, silently reassuring him before turning again to meet Legolas’ kind blue ones. 

“How was your walk this morning, Almarëa?” She turned her head at the sound Lossenel’s gentle voice, only to find herself once again pierced by those stunning ice green-blue eyes. 

“It was very peaceful.” She said, glad to finally have something to tell Lossenel. “I simply sat and listened to the trees as they sung. I did not know trees could sing like that. It was a shame that they fell silent again once dawn came.” 

She saw Lossenel’s eyes looking at her carefully, almost as if she had not understood anything of what she had just said. Elerrina replayed her words in her head, trying to find the piece that the Princess might not have understood, but could not find anything wrong with their phrasing. 

“Oh, yes. It does sound beautiful when they whisper to each other.” The beautiful Lady asked with a wide smile, letting out a single bell like chuckle. “You confused me for a moment when you called it ‘singing’, although I must confess I truly do not know what you mean by them falling silent at dawn.” 

“I meant that they fell silent when dawn came. What do you mean when I called it ‘singing’? They had been singing, not whispering. It was a chorus, all of them singing the same song. And then at dawn their singing ended. Did you not hear them last night?” 

She turned her head in Tadion’s direction for a second, only to be once again met by a pair of confused clear blue eyes, staring at her as puzzled and lost as the Princess of Mirkwood. Legolas’ eyes held the same expression as that of his older brother’s and Lossenel’s ice green-blue eyes remained fixed on hers, studying her carefully, their expression unreadable although a faint gleam of puzzlement sparkled in their depths. Suddenly she felt herself freeze with the realization that the Princess of Mirkwood truly had no idea as to what she was referring to. 

“I heard them whispering yes” The Princess said almost hesitantly. “Just as they do every night and day. But I do not recall ever hearing something different at dawn. Perhaps the sounds of the day merged with their whispers, making you believed they had fallen silent.” 

Lossenel smiled at her again, clearly searching for a way to make sense of what she was currently telling her. Elerrina felt her heart paralyze for a split second, but she did not show her sudden surprise as she finally realized that none of her siblings had heard the soothing chorus of the singing trees. 

“Yes, it might have been that.” She said in reply, choosing to let go of the subject. 

Could she really have simply confused the whispers and misinterpret them for a song? She wanted to believe that was true, but the enchanting unintelligible lullaby of the trees as they swayed lightly to the night breeze was still fresh in her mind. It had not been faint or distant. On the contrary, it had sounded so powerful, soft and soothing yes, but perfectly clear, not a single note seeming to falter. 

She could hear a new conversation starting in between Legolas and Lossenel, but she was no longer paying attention. Elladan’s eyes flew to hers, trapping her in their intense silver stare, making her unable to look away. He knew she had heard something that her siblings had not. She could see it clearly in his piercing silver eyes. 

She did not know what to believe, did not know if perhaps the singing had in fact been only a fragment of her imagination or a consequence of her overly tired head after a sleepless night. Suddenly the Elvenking’s words from hours ago played again inside her head: The chant beautifully, do they not? A cold shiver ran down her spine at the thought. The King of Mirkwood could hear the song…and he had known she could also hear it.


	4. Crashing Down

The rest of the morning meal progressed casually. Even though she tried to participate in the conversations, Elerrina had completely lost track of them. The only thought that floated in her mind was the soothing lullaby of the forest, and how none of her siblings seemed to have known about it. There were so many things she wanted to know, so many things that she simply could not understand, and nobody seemed to be willing to explain anything to her. It was frustrating. 

She could feel Elladan’s eyes fixed on her, and knew that he could feel her anxiety and detachment from the conversation through their bond. Now more than ever she wanted to be alone with him, wanted him to hold her in his strong arms, to make her feel like nothing could ever happen to her as long as he was near. 

Elerrina let her eyes fall down to her plate, absently staring at the half-eaten strawberry tart that remained on it. Next to her, she could hear Tadion’s musical voice speaking to Legolas, but she did not pick on the topic they discussed. 

Everything seemed so far away, as if she was merely an observer in this elegant dinning room. For a split moment, she wished she had never heard the trees singing, even if it had probably been the most enchanting melody her ears had ever heard, dazzling her into a different time and space as their melancholic voices whispered the lyrics to her, seeming to penetrate into her very spirit. For a split moment, she wished it had not been she the one to hear something the others could not. 

She closed her eyes for a second, the soft breeze that entered through the wall-length open windows gently caressing her skin, like a tender hand searching to give some comfort. Outside, the trees continued to sway dully, the soft sound of their dancing leaves floating in the air as an empty song. And that is what it was. It was empty. There were no voices this time; there was no sing of the enchanting tune that seemed to hypnotize her, only their soft whispering into the wind. 

She could feel her chest tightening with frustration, making her want to snap out at someone, to yell. But what for? It was not as if she could tell anyone about Vilya, the powerful blue stoned ring, calling to her in the blowing wind. And now she did not even know exactly what of what she could hear and see could her siblings also hear and see. 

“Excuse me” She finally said, her voice coming out as a faint whisper as she suddenly rose from the table. 

The room felt silent instantly, all conversation dying as five pairs of eyes turned in her direction. Elerrina kept her own eyes on the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with anybody as she wordlessly headed towards the doors, not sparing a look behind. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Elladan quickly rise from seat, not saying a single word as he strode after her. Tadion also stood, seeming to hesitate on what to do.

“Tadion, no” She heard Legolas’ soft warning, followed by the muted sound of the Prince of Mirkwood sitting back down on his seat, but she did not turn or stop as she finally reached the pair of doors, stepping out of the now silent dinning room. 

The long corridor was empty, and she did not why, but she felt glad it was. There was no elf who would stare at her, no maid who would greet her politely, making her have to force a smile in return. She kept walking down the hall, her feet moving fast as her mind remained lost in thoughts of her own. 

“Rina?” She could hear Elladan following her, his footsteps rushing to catch up with her, feeling his worry and desperation to be near her through their bond. 

She suddenly stopped, standing in the middle of the long deserted hallway as she waited for Elladan to reach her side. Not even a second later, she felt a gentle hand circling around her upper arm and she turned to face him, frustration and desperation making her chest constrict. 

“Rina?” He breathed out, worry tainting the usually musical sound of his voice, silver eyes quickly travelling up and down her body as if assessing that she was all right. His deep silver eyes then fixed on hers, so gentle and at the same time anxious, drowning her as they silently pleaded to know what was wrong. 

She did not say anything, unable to find her voice, her throat seeming to tighten, frustration taking the best of her. Instead, she threw her arms around his middle, pressing her face to his chest tightly, letting herself be lost in his sweet scent and the constant rhythm of his heartbeat. 

He instantly wrapped both of his arms around her in return, pulling her tightly against him, as if he could feel her despair. She felt his lips pressing a kiss on the top of her head, and then his cheek coming to rest there, but she did not move, taking comfort in his sole presence. 

Slowly, she started to feel more calmed, feeling his spirit reaching her through their bond like a soothing presence, letting her in completely, like two halves of the same essence. His arms continued to hold onto her, refusing to let go. 

“Let us go outside.” He said softly to her, his hands reaching down to grab hers, giving them a gentle squeeze. He did not wait for an answer on her part as he wrapped an arm around her back and started leading her in silence. 

He led her to the large terrace where they had gone to see the snow as it fell the night before, slowly stepping into the snow-covered grass and into the gardens. The fresh air of the forest felt better than she had expected, seeming to clear her mind as they slowly walked in between the trees. The snow crunched lightly beneath her feet, barely leaving any trace of their footsteps, its pure white color patterned with the waltzing shadows of the trees, casting reflections in different shades of greens and greys.

After a short while, she saw a small clearing appear in the forest, a snowed path leading directly into it. A circle of thin pointed arches delineated the clearing, their columns so frail and delicate that they nearly seemed to float. A stone flooring had replaced the grass inside the arched space, resembling an open terrace in the middle of the enchanted gardens of the palace. No roof covered the circling structure, the arches only demarcating a transparent barrier between the open terrace and the shimmering waters of the small pond that surrounded it. 

Thousands of flowers crept over the frail columns of the arches, their petals a bright shade of gold she had never seen in a flower before, and she felt the need to touch them if only to prove to herself that they were not indeed made of gold. The many flowers extended beyond the structure, floating over the resting waters with a dream-like delicacy she could not describe.

Elladan led her to one of the benches placed inside the arched circle, lowering himself to sit down next to her. For a moment, she remained quiet, simply enjoying the comforting fresh air, her frustration and desperation slowly being carried away by the soft breeze. 

The darkness of the garden felt incredibly soothing, few rays of sunlight were able to filter through the heavy canopy of the green trees. That was something she noticed was different from the gardens in Imladris. Here, the forest seemed so heavy and alive, almost covering every piece of sky in a fascinating composition, so contrasting to the large and open waterfalls and streams in the Valley of Imladris. 

“What happened?” Elladan’s voice brought her back from her wondering thoughts, and she turned to meet a pair of gorgeous liquid silver eyes staring at her. 

“I do not know” She admitted in a soft voice, her head coming down to rest tiredly over his shoulder. Elladan instinctively wrapped one arm around her, slender fingers absently toying with the long strands of golden hair at her back. 

“Lossenel did not know what you were talking about. I know you heard something she cannot.” His voice was soft as he spoke and she let out a sigh in return. 

“I do not know what I heard” Her voice betrayed more of her irritation than she had wanted. She felt his hand gently rubbing a circle on her back, but he did not say anything else. 

“Why do I hear things none of them do?” She voiced her question not really expecting an answer. Everything was so confusing, so overwhelming and nobody seemed to want to tell her anything. “Why do I see things? Why do I see it? Why do I hear it?”

Elladan let out a pained sigh, then pressed a soft kiss on her head, his hand continuing to rub circles on her back. She closed her eyes, the frustration and irritation merging with her tiredness and lack of sleep, making every single emotion feel more overwhelming. 

“I do not know” He said at last, his voice trying to sound soothing, and at the same time she could hear in it a thread of despair at not having an answer for her. 

“Nobody ever does” She whispered in return, snuggling closer to him. He did not say anything else and a void silence floated in between them for a moment. 

“The King can also hear the trees” She broke the silence after a long pause. Her voice was barely a whisper, sounding frailer than she expected. Again, Elladan remained quiet, simply listening to her, and she understood that there was really not much for him to say at the moment. 

“He told me this morning. I was down at some terrace I cannot recall how exactly I got there, and I stopped to hear the forest singing for I had never heard anything like it. Then he appeared, and asked me if I thought their melody was beautiful. He said it as if it was an everyday thing. He knew I could hear it.” 

She suddenly felt angry with the Elvenking; although she knew her anger was only fruit of her frustration and exhaustion. Why did he not tell her that other elves could not hear the trees singing? Oh, it must have been very amusing for him to take advantage that she had no clue. 

“Did he explain?” Elladan tightened his hold on her as he spoke, and she knew he could feel all of the emotions that wracked her body at the moment but could not to do anything about it. 

“No.” She let out a shuddering breath, trying to control herself but it was resulting impossible. She knew she would break down in any second, and she really did not want to. “He has not explained anything to me. We talked a little, yes, but mostly about nothing. I can tell he wants to talk to me, but then he is so distant with me, and I do not know what to say. What do you tell the King of Mirkwood, Dan? What?”

She took another stabilizing breath and felt Elladan rub yet another circle on her back. 

“I asked him why did I have to be raised away when I first met him yesterday, but he evaded my question. I did not insist. And this morning I asked about my mother. I asked for her name, and conversation died there. He did answer me though. Maybe I should not have asked that. It was bold and not very sensitive from my part I guess.” 

“It is alright to ask, Rina” He said soothingly, his voice low. “Although I understand why he would not want to talk about that in particular.” 

“I know.” She breathed out. “I do too. It is just….” 

She trailed off, letting out another trembling breath as she struggled to keep her emotions at bay. 

“I do not know.” She said finally, closing her eyes at the tears that where starting to form in them. She took another deep breath, but they were becoming less and less helpful. 

All she wanted was to know the truth, and at the same time she did not know if she really wanted to hear it. In that moment, she simply wanted to understand everything, to not feel as if she was a secret to keep quiet. It was all so frustrating, so irritating and despairing. 

“Dan?” Her voice sounded shaky this time, braking slightly at the end against her will. “I want to go back to Imladris. I do not want to be here.” 

Why was she even saying this? She felt him tighten his hold on her, but he did not say anything in return. She knew he could not do anything about it. She knew she could not return to Imladris yet. It was as if she was speaking without thinking, but that was exactly what she was doing. She felt helpless, desperate. She wanted to flee from this place, although she did not really know why. She wanted to feel at home again, wanted to know her surroundings. 

“Please, let us go back.” She pleaded, her voice nearly speaking against her mind. The sound of it surprised her; it was so broken, barely even audible. 

“Rina…” Was all he said, his voice so pained it hurt her. She knew she was hurting him, for he could not do anything, but she could not control herself. 

The moment she had been dreading came at last, her emotions finally overwhelming her. She felt a tear roll down her right cheek, her breathing becoming shakier by the second. 

“Please, Dan” She pleaded again, wanting nothing than to flee from her misery. “I do not want to be here.” 

“Rina” He breathed again, and she knew her words were only causing him pain. She could tell that he wanted to answer her plea more than anything, but there was nothing to do about it. He shifted his hold on her, placing her on his lap as he wrapped both of his arms around her now. She took another deep breath, trying to ease the tight knot at her throat as she buried her head against his collarbone. 

“It is only your first day here. You have yet so much to see. Give it time to decide if you really dislike it or not.” He said gently, trying to provide some comfort, his hand stroking her hair softly. She knew he was right. She knew he was being reasonable and she was not, but at that moment she did not feel like being reasonable. 

“I do not know any of them.” She did not have to specify for Elladan to know that she meant her siblings. “I do not know anybody. They all know each other…It is just so strange. I do not know how to be Almarëa, and they are all expecting me to be their sister and I do not know how to. I want to go back…please” Her voice broke again, tears now flowing from both of her eyes. 

“I know, Rina.” He said very softly. “You will get to know everyone in time. They all want to know you. I know it is not easy. You did not know anybody in Imladris when you first arrived and that did not scare you. You did not even know me and you were already yelling at me without shame. Why are you scared about getting to know them? It is very unlike you.” 

“I do not know” She buried her face deeper in the crook of his neck, letting his dark hair shield her from everything else.

What was she doing? She had seen her entire village in ashes after an orc attack. She herself had survived three orc attacks by now. She had encountered the Nazgul, had felt Vilya taking position of her. And yet, here she was, crying like a child about something that seemed so small. This had finally been the drop that spilled the cup. 

“I am whining” her voice was muffled by his tunic, but she knew he could still understand her. She took a deep breath again, trying to compose herself. “I am sorry, Dan. I am whining…I am behaving like a child. I do not know what has come over me” 

She had never done this to him. She had never whined or complained about things that bothered her to him. She lifted her head from his shoulder, but he gently pushed it back down, his hand resting on the back of her head as his other rubbed her back soothingly. She felt more tears escape her eyes and she locked both of her arms around his neck. 

“It is alright, Rina. You do not always have to be strong.” She felt the knot in her throat tighten and more tears escaped her eyes as he spoke. “You are not being a child. You are tired. I know you have not slept.” 

He fell silent as she took yet another breath, all of her attempts to calm down completely forgotten by now. He simply held her tight, one hand rubbing circles on her back, and she felt safe, she felt better. She would apologize to her siblings for leaving breakfast later. Right now all she wanted was to be held in Elladan’s comforting embrace. 

“I love you.” She whispered to him, and she meant every single one of her words. 

“I love you too.” He pressed his lips to her head as he spoke, pulling her closer to him.

A long moment passed in which they simple stayed in silence while he held her. A gentle breeze would blow occasionally, caressing her skin softly and tangling her long golden hair with his dark strands. Slowly, she felt her body become heavier, exhaustion finally consuming her as her mind started to drift away.

“Rina?” She heard Elladan’s soft whisper in her ear, his voice so gentle, as if he feared to startle her. She blinked several times, trying to push back sleep as she lifted her head from his shoulder to look directly into his liquid silver eyes. “Allow me to take you back to your chambers. You are falling asleep”

She chuckled lightly at his words, one of his hands carefully placing one lock of golden hair behind her pointed ear. His silver eyes were locked on hers, letting her fall freely into their depths, so open and welcoming, sparkling with a gleam that was reserved only for her. She could still see a deep glint of worry in them as he looked at her, so pained and hurt, and she knew he felt useless. She knew he could easily carry her all the way back if he wanted to, but also knew that he could tell she did not want to be carried back. 

She let her hands travel to the sides of his face, then leaned in and pressed her lips to his in a long gentle kiss. He kissed her back, deepening the kiss as his arms locked around her waist. At that moment, nothing else was important; everything seemed to fall into its right place once again. They broke apart sooner than she had wanted and she climbed off his lap, taking in his entire appearance as he too rose to his feet. 

He was simply so handsome, standing taller than her, his long dark hair falling over his shoulders and back like a curtain of fine silk. His gorgeous silver eyes remained fixed on hers, sparkling like the silver moonlight on the black night sky. He took her hand in his and started leading her back towards the palace. 

The way back seemed shorter than she remembered, and in only a couple of minutes her eyes once again caught sight of the large beautiful terrace from which they had come. She could see some elves standing on the many balconies above, others walking through the long open hallways framed by delicate pointed arches.

Another soft breeze blew past her and this time she caught the very familiar sound of a faint whispering in it. Her heart skipped a beat, her body going cold as she recognized the unmistakable call of Vilya in her ears. It was so beautiful and at the same time so terrifying, making cold shivers run down her spine as the image of the powerful blue stoned ring, glowing dimly upon the Elf-Lord’s hand, flashed through her mind. 

She tried to ignore it, concentrating on continuing her march next to Elladan, but her attempt was in vain. A split second later, the wind blew again, Vilya’s whispers sounding louder this time. She stopped suddenly, the sound of the unintelligible words feeling so near, so loud inside her head, almost as if the ring was in here, in Mirkwood. It did not even give her time to think before it rang again, this time stronger now, screaming inside her head, pulling her to it, threatening to detach her form reality. 

Suddenly, she knew exactly what was coming, and she could not control it, she could not stop it. She experienced the very familiar feeling of something pushing against her mind as Vilya’s screeches nearly seemed to deafen her. She did not even have time to react, her head suddenly feelings as if it was about to split in half. 

Everything happened so fast; she barely had a warning before it happened. Elerrina stretched her hand in the air, attempting to grab onto Elladan for support but she never knew if she managed to do so or not. In that second, everything turned black, her head drumming painfully as a powerful force wracked inside of it, trying to get past her barriers. But her barriers where not strong. She did not know how to control it, she did not know how to push it away. 

A grave voice yelled loudly inside her head, only adding more pain to the existing one, screaming words in a language she could not understand. It seemed to pull her from her body with a force she could barely fight, dragging her in the direction of the voice. She tried to pull away, but could not. Everything was so dark. Pain. The loud voice wracking her skull in half. More Pain. 

Suddenly, a flash of bright crossed her vision, like a blinding explosion that overpowered everything else. It pierced her head with a force she could not match, making everything else disappear, the loud voice vanishing in the brightness. It penetrated her mind, crushing her head with a pressure she thought would make her skull break. And then, as quickly and suddenly as it had come, it was gone. 

The pressure eased, her body returning to her senses. Everything seemed to spin, and she could not tell what was up and what was down. Pain again. Every single part of her body hurt, her head seeming to be on fire. She opened her eyes with an effort, her ears catching the distant sound of voices, but she could not tell what they were saying. The images were blurred, and as she concentrated to focus, she caught of sight a familiar face leaning close to her. Piercing ice blue eyes stared into hers, wide and alarmed, so powerful and penetrating, fear tainting the sky colored irises, a gentle hand pressed firmly on her left cheek…


	5. Chapter 5

Pain. That was the first thought that crossed her mind. Her head pounded heavily, making it almost impossible to concentrate on the figures before her eyes. Piercing ice blue eyes stared into hers, nearly demanding her to focus on them, and she struggled to concentrate, using them as an anchor point from the spinning world around her. 

The Elvenking’s frightened blue eyes relaxed visibly once she looked back at them, but the alarmed gleam never left the sky colored irises. She could hear voices speaking frantically around her, but could not catch what they were saying. For the first time she noticed that she was lying on her back on the snow-covered grass. Her entire body was shaking, and she felt weak, exhausted. 

Her eyes moved frantically around, searching for Elladan. She found him to her left side, kneeling on the snow next to the King, a worried expression on his handsome face. His silver eyes met hers instantly, so frightened and concerned, the mischievous spark that usually lighted them completely gone. She wanted to say something to him, anything but could not find her voice. 

She could see other elves hovering over her, their faces or parts of their body appearing and disappearing in her line of vision. They seemed to be the ones speaking, murmuring words in elvish, looking incredibly anxious and confused, their curious eyes darting form her to the King to Elladan. She could not recognize a single on of the faces, all of them standing in a loose circle around her, keeping their distance. 

“Almarëa? Can you hear me?” Her eyes darted back to meet the King’s worried ice blue ones, nodding her head lightly. 

She felt the Elvenking swiftly scoop her up in his arms, her body seeming to be weightless in his strong grip. Everything spun again at the motion, and she hid her face in the rich fabric of his green formal robes, not really knowing what was happening. She could tell they were moving quickly, the King walking at a fast pace. She could also hear a pair of voices moving along in front of them, guards she assumed, making way in between the curious elves and ordering them to move aside for the King to pass. 

The change of sound in the Elvenking’s footsteps told her when they entered the palace, the bright sunlight disappearing from over her head. They did not stop once, and Elerrina guessed that no elf wanted to block their King’s path. She could almost feel the curious stares following them, but did not move her face from the King’s chest. 

She heard a door being pushed open, and then felt herself being carried into a room, tow pairs of footsteps following them. The room was quiet, de door closing behind them with a deaf click. She could tell the room was brightly lit, and did not dare open her eyes to face the light, her head already protesting painfully. The sound of sheets being pulled down echoed silently through the room, and the next thing she knew she was gently being lowered onto a soft bed. A tender hand caressed her forehead, brushing away some strands of her long golden hair as she felt someone sitting down on the edge of the mattress. 

“Close the curtains” 

The King of Mirkwood’s command echoed softly in the air, his voice so low and peaceful and yet carrying such an authority she doubted anyone would question. She heard movement inside the room follow by a welcoming darkness as the heavy curtains sealed shut against the bright sunlight. 

“Should I fetch a healer, Your Majesty?” A female voice asked, that she guessed belonged to a maid. 

“Yes. Send for Melnor, please.” 

Footsteps hurried towards the door, which opened and closed once more, leaving the room in silence once again. She opened her eyes only halfway, trying to make out shapes in the darkness. She recognized the familiar interior of her own bedchamber.

The Elvenking sat at the edge of the bed, long hair falling down his back, the darkness reducing its light golden color to a mere ash grey. One of his hands rested lightly on the side of her face, his thumb softly caressing her cheek. His eyes immediately met hers, infinite blue irises so gentle and warm, not a trace of the cold and powerful piercing gaze of the King of Mirkwood remained in them. 

“Close your eyes. It will help.” His voice was soft as he spoke, eyes never leaving hers. 

She did as told, hiding behind the darkness of her now closed eyelids. Her thoughts travelled back to Elladan, and she wanted him here with her, sending her waves of calmness as he eased her splitting headache. She concentrated on their bond, feeling his soothing presence reaching to her, and she relaxed a little. 

Short minutes later she heard the door being pushed open, and she open her eyes just in time to see a maid enter the piece followed by a tall dark haired elf. The elf’s eyes looked at her curiously for a brief moment before fixing his eyes on the King. 

“How can I be of help, My Lord?” His voice was deep, patient, as he inclined his head respectfully. His patient eyes turned once again to her, seeming to study her curiously. It only lasted for a second, his eyes returning to look serious as added. “What ails her?” 

The Elvenking did not answer but instead rose from the bed, allowing the dark haired healer to get closer to her. She felt the healer’s hands expertly taking hold of her right wrist to check her pulse, his eyes hovering over her for any signs of an injury. She caught sight of the King dismissing the two maids with a silent movement of his hands, and seconds later the doors opened and closed again. 

The healer, Melnor she assumed, let go of her hand, leaning over her to touch her forehead and neck. His quick examination lasted only a minute or so before he stood straight again, turning to face his King. 

“There is nothing, physically wrong with her.” His voice as low as his eyes stared into the piercing blue pair of the King of Mirkwood, seeming to silently ask the dreadful realization that was written in them. There was something in the silent exchange of looks that told her that the healer knew exactly what was wrong with her, and that it was not the first time he had seen it. 

“I will go prepare something for her.” He added in a low, grave tone. “Should I bring something for you as well?” His observed the King carefully as he spoke. 

“No.” She heard the Elvenking answer in a serene voice that held no space for argument. “I am fine.” 

Melnor nodded his head respectfully, and without adding anything else headed towards the door at a hurried pace. She closed her eyes trying in vain to escape the throbbing pain in her head, and felt the bed shift slightly as the King returned to sit at the edge of the mattress. 

“I am sorry.” She heard him say softly, long fingers gently stroking her hair. 

The dark haired healer returned only a couple minutes after, and she opened her eyes to see his tall, slim figure walking towards her, a steaming cup held in one hand. 

“Drink this, My Lady” Melnor handed the cup to her as the Elvenking carefully helped her sit up on the bed. 

The steaming cup felt warm against her fingers, the sensation spreading through her hands comfortingly. She obediently took it to her lips, sipping the bitter liquid without complaining. At that moment she would drink anything if it would take away the splitting headache she suffered. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the King nodding silently at the healer, and the latter accepted his dismissal with a light bow of the head before heading out of the room. 

The Elvenking gently took the empty cup from her hands once she had finished its contents and slowly pushed her back down onto the pillows. She wanted to look at him, wanted to see into his eyes, to search for an explanation in the impenetrable infinitudes of his irises, but felt too exhausted and weary to even keep her eyes open. She fought to keep them open, fearing that the regal looking elf in front of her would disappear at any moment, taking with him all of her hopes of knowing what had just happened. 

“Rest, Almarëa” He said in a soothing voice, easily reading her thoughts through her eyes. “Sleep, my child.” 

His fingers softly started stroking her hair again, feeling strangely soothing and comforting. His sole presence felt soothing, somehow seeming to pacify her troubled spirit, making her feel oddly safe, even though she had barely interacted with him and had only spoken to him twice. She let her green eyes fall on his once last time, loosing her fight against her fatigue, pain, and drowsiness from the draught as her eyes started to close again. 

“Do not go.” She breathed out faintly, not really knowing why she had said it. She did not understand the reason why, but suddenly she felt scared of him leaving her side, needing his presence close to her to feel safe. 

A ghost of a smile appeared on the Elvenking’s lips, illuminating his serene eyes with a faint gleam as he looked at her, powerful blue irises looking different, no longer impenetrable, as if for a split second the iced barrier that sealed them had been entirely broken. 

“I will be here.” 

She felt her eyes starting to close again, her eyelids too heavy for her to keep them open any longer. She did not remember how for how long she laid there, the constant throbbing pain pounding behind her closed eyes while a tender hand tried to soothe it away. Everything started to become distant and soon she was drifting off into a dreamless sleep where she could feel nothing at all. 

 

\--

When she woke up, the first thing she noticed was the absence of the splitting pain in her head. She felt slightly disoriented, memories coming back to her in a blurry haze. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and she noticed that she was still lying on the bed inside her own bedchamber. 

The large room was still dark, the heavy curtains obscuring the windows and balcony. A lone figure sat motionless at the round table placed on one corner of the room, like a cold heavenly crafted statue forgotten in the darkness. Long light blond hair fell inertly down his back in neat braids, contrasting with a pale gleam against the dark forest green color of his rich formal robes. One pale hand absently held a cut crystal glass of red wine that rested on the table, the other hand resting lightly on his lap. She could only see the fine profile of his face, ice blue eyes staring off into the darkness, lost in thought. The crown that had adorned his head some hours ago now placed unceremoniously over the polished wood table next to a large golden tray carrying an untouched assortment of food. 

She sat up on the bed, the Elvenking’s head immediately turning in her direction, snapping out of his thoughtful trance. He offered her a warm smile as he walked towards the bed. 

“How are you feeling?” His infinite blue eyes stared softly at her as he sat down at the edge of the mattress. His voice was gentle and low, but she could hear the hidden concern that tainted the melodic sound. 

“Lightheaded” She admitted still trying to shake off her slight disorientation. He gave her a pained smile, one hand placing a strand of golden hair behind her ear. 

“I can imagine. You can rest some more if you wish to.” His voice soft as he smiled sympathetically at her, somehow giving her the feeling that he had been in her position before, and probably more than once. 

“It is alright.” He nodded his head in response but did not add anything else as his ice blue eyes looked deeply into hers. 

Silence settled between them for a moment, her thoughts flying back to Elladan, wanting nothing more than for him to be here with her. She could still feel him reaching to her through their bond, making her feel secure as gentle waves of soothing calmness washed through her. She could feel his frantic worry and despair, almost as if they were her own feelings. She reached back to him in a pathetic attempt to ease his worry, knowing deep inside that he could probably feel her need for his presence next to her. 

 

“Rina? Are you in pain? How do you feel?” 

She never knew how she managed not to hive away her surprise as Elladan’s musical voice bounced softly inside her mind, so clear and gentle, as if he were standing right by her side at that precise moment. She could easily hear the worried tone his voice carried, and yet the sole sound of his voice made her heart beat peacefully again. She had known their bond was strong, feeling what he felt becoming only easier every day, but had never been able to hear his thoughts. 

She had never shared a bond with anyone before. She had no idea how to answer, if he would be able to hear her in return at all. She had only ever heard Lord Elrond speaking inside her mind, and he had been able to do so because of the connection she shared with Vilya, which in return enabled a connection between their minds. 

“Dan? Can you hear me? I am fine. I slept for a while. The King is here with me.” 

She immediately felt Elladan relax slightly and assumed that he had indeed heard her. Waves of calmness continued to wash through her, her heart fluttering contently at the feeling of him close to her, even though he was physically away. 

“I heard breakfast did not go very well this morning” 

The Elvenking’s gentle voice brought her back from her thoughts and she centered her eyes once again on the regal looking figure in front of her. His eyes were soft and warm, and yet still so unreachable, a comforting smile present on his fair face. She smiled faintly in return, lowering her gaze at the mention of the events from hours earlier.

“Did Tadion do anything to you?” Slender fingers softly pushed her chin upwards, her eyes meeting a powerful pair of ice blue irises, so intense and infinite and at the same time to impenetrable and unreadable, making it impossible to escape the stare. 

“No” She said quickly, unable to hide the surprise from her face at the unexpected words, somehow trying to understand what was the King talking about. “He did not do anything. Why would you think so?” 

“I do not.” He reassured her in a calmed voice, his voice always so serene and patient. “He thinks he did. I just wanted to hear what you thought.” 

“He did not do anything wrong” She added, stunned that Tadion would think that. But then again she had fled from the dinning room without reason or explanation. “Nobody did anything wrong. I just…I…” 

“It is alright” He said immediately. “You do not have to explain yourself. You have done nothing wrong, Almarëa.” 

She merely nodded her head, not knowing what else to answer as her eyes fell once again on the unreachable infinities of his ice blue eyes. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, but did not know how. She wanted to look at this elf in the same way that Legolas did, so comfortably and easily. She wanted to be able to look at him and feel he was her father and not the respected King of Mirkwood. 

“You can hear the trees singing.” 

His eyes darted back to hers instantly at her sudden change of topic. She did not know from where she got the courage to voice that question, but did not regret it. His eyes pierced her for a moment, seeming to study her carefully. She felt her insides turn to ice, expecting him look coldly at her again, but acted as unpredictable as ever, a smirk crossing his face as a single chuckle escaped his lips. 

“So you figured out not everyone can.” She could not tell if he was talking to her or to himself, his eyes lowering to his hands and his smirk still present on his face. 

“You knew I could hear them also.” Cautious blue eyes lifted back up to meet hers, seeming to calculate whether to answer or not. 

“I did not.” He said at last, his voice dropping to a low sound, the look in his eyes suddenly darkening, looking deep and troubled now, part of the iced seal seeming to vanish as the smirk disappeared from his face. “It was a wild guess, and you proved me right.” 

“You knew what was happening to me.” Her voice was merely a whisper. For the look in his eyes she knew he understood she meant about the attack. She could not tell how she knew, but she did. 

Ice blue eyes pierced her intently, and she did not look away, she could not. They were so powerful, so deep and mighty, pulling her like magnets with a force she did not know existed. It felt so different from Lord Elrond’s piercing stare, in which she felt that he could see through her very soul, so wise and concealed. No. The King’s eyes were different. She could see the silent answer to her question in them, and felt that, for the first time, she was looking into the entirety of his eyes, looking into the unreachable depths behind the broken iced barrier, and what she saw was a power and strength she wished she could escape immediately, and yet could not. This time, he did not evade her behind cold eyes. 

“Elrond hides very well that powerful jewel he wields.”


	6. Chapter 6

“Elrond hides very well that powerful jewel he wields”

The words hung coldly in the still air, floating with a ghostly air in the complete silence. She felt her heart stop beating in her chest, her body freezing in place like a statue of cold stone as the King’s piercing blue eyes stared directly at hers. They were so deep, so powerful, penetrating hers like iced daggers, and suddenly she had the feeling that he knew everything. 

She opened her mouth to say something but no sound came out. It felt as if her voice had completely abandoned her. She did not know what had made the Elvenking suddenly tell her this kind of information, but was not planning on ruining the moment. 

“You thought I did not know about the ring?” She could not tell if it was a question or a statement, but she neither denied nor confirmed it. Instead she forced her eyes to remain locked in place, fixed on his powerful ice blue ones. 

The King lowered his eyes with a sigh, slowly rising from the bed and walking towards one of the tall windows obscured by the closed ivory curtains. She followed him with her eyes, waiting in silence for long minutes. She considered walking to him, but her legs felt weak to her, and she knew they would not carry her for long. 

“I cannot think anything if I do not know anything to base my thoughts on, My Lord.” Her voice was low, but loud enough for him to hear. The Elvenking did not turn to face her this time, and she regretted her words for a moment, wondering if her diplomatic answer had somehow hurt him because of its formality. 

“You choose your words carefully.” Was the answer she received, the words holding an odd mixture of pride and sorrow. 

The King of Mirkwood turned around to face her, slowly returning to sit by her side on the bed. Something in his face looked different now, softer, the strong power in his eyes replaced by a melancholic sorrow and kind tenderness as he stared into hers, making her entirely regret her cold words. He smiled softy at her, but the smile never reached his eyes, one slender hand brushing her cheek gently before falling to his lap. 

“I never wanted you to carry this burden” 

His voice had dropped to a whisper, so honest and transparent, the powerful authoritative tone of a King now entirely forgotten. She did not say anything, not trusting her voice, and he continued speaking. 

“You are powerful, Almarëa. More than I wish you were…more than I thought you to be.” 

He paused for a moment, seeming to hesitate where to continue, transparent eyes swallowing hers into their infinities. 

“You scared me today. I ignored how deeply the ring of air has penetrated into you. I ignored the level of sensitivity to such forces your spirit possesses. They reach you, or you reach them, so…easily. It is an unimaginable power…but it can be an unimaginable weakness as well.” 

She felt her body freeze again, every word seeming to dance inside her head, downing into her as a heavy weight, eyes fixed on his now entirely open ice blue ones. She wanted to know what he was telling her more than anything, but now felt scared to hear it. 

“I did not know how deep into your mind or spirit had the attacker penetrated. I could not tell if I would be able to call you back, to break the connection, or if it was already too imbedded into you for it to leave permanent damage. I…I really thought I would loose you for a moment. I feared you would be too far dragged into darkness to be able to come back.” 

His voice was barely audible as he spoke, and she could see the fear in his eyes, the pain and worry as the seriousness of his words sank into her head. 

“It was a fortune that Elrond’s son was with you when it happened and somehow managed to anchor you to reality long enough for me to get there. I had never seen the son of Elrond so afraid in my long life.” 

The sole mention of Elladan made her heart ache because of his absence, longing to run to him, to ease his worry and fear for her. The words of the King felt shocking to her. She had never realized how badly things could have gone. She had never seen the danger, the reasons why Elladan seemed to worry so much about the attacks. She had not known anything about them, and the truth seemed to be bitterer than she had expected.

“Is he all right?” She asked immediately. She could still feel his worry through their bond, but wanted to hear from the King that nothing had happened to him. 

“Pardon me?” 

“Elladan, I mean.” She specified, not entirely understanding the look in the King’s eyes at her question. 

“Ah, so that one was Elladan.” His eyes studied her carefully, holding an expression she had never seen in them, wary and suspicious, narrowing slightly as he spoke Elladan’s name. It only lasted a fragment of a second before the strange sparkle disappeared form his eyes. 

“He seemed to know what was happening to you, so I take it this is not the first time you suffer an attack like this one, is it?”

“No.” She did not know if she really produced a sound or simply moved her lips. “It has happened before.” 

An alarmed expression took hold of the Elvenking’s clear blue eyes, suddenly looking more serious than ever. 

“Did Elrond know of this?” he hissed, his tone now cold, stained with worry and accusation. “Did he let it happen?” 

“Yes, he knew, but he would stop it, he would push me out of it almost instantly.” The hard expression in the King’s eyes relaxed at her words, the coldness and sudden anger seeming to dissipate. 

“Good.” He said flatly in return. 

The King looked away for a moment, his face hard, completely composed, and she simply stared at him. She felt dazed, as if everything around her was surreal, as if his words had merely been a dream…and she wished them to be. Still everything seemed so unclear…

“I…I still do not understand.” She said finally, her voice sounding shakier than she had wanted. “How did you know what was happening to me? How do you know about the ring?” 

Ice blue eyes turned around to face her, the hard and fiery gleam once again gone. His eyes were gentle now, expanding like infinite waves of a calmed sea, so vast, and tender, drowning in a rain of melancholic sorrow. 

“I know of the ring the same way as you do.” His voice was once again barely audible, so plain and transparent, lacking all of its cold authority and power. She did not say anything, and he continued to explain. 

“I have heard them. I have sensed them, even felt their powers extending over the lands of Arda. It is merely a faint glimpse of power what I can perceive, a nearly deceiving presence of unnatural power that seems to blend with the living forms in such a magnificent way. I know where the three elven rings are kept, for I have felt them while in the presence of their bearers. Elrond ignores that I know he bears one of the three.” 

“You on the other hand…” He trailed off, lowering his eyes while shaking his head slightly. 

“Almarëa,” he started again “I do not think you understand the seriousness of the powers you hold at hand. Your spirit is far much more sensitive than mine. It is as if it lacked a solidity of essence, that firmness that compacts it as a whole and separates us as strangers, as individual selves, from the rest of the living forces.” 

“But…are not all elves sensitive to living beings?” 

“Yes, but your sensitivity is different. You do not only perceive nature around you and interact with it as two separate beings. You can reach their very essence, their spirit I could say, as if it were your own. They can reach you so easily, penetrate deeper into you than in any other elf. The stronger the force, the easier it will pull you towards it. I felt the ring while I tried to call you back. It was nearly impossible to separate it from you, as if you were the same being. It intertwines with you so easily and deeply that you can wield its powers. It becomes you and you become it. I am sure it will be no different with the other rings.” 

She found herself speechless, the words dancing disorderly inside her head. She tried to catch all of them, but they seemed to escape her, to float away before she could fully comprehend them, her thoughts growing foggy and unclear. 

She remembered the ring, the fascinating blue stone glowing dimly upon Lord Elrond’s finger, whispering softly to her, so attractive, like a magnet pulling her in, calling her name. She remembered its cries ringing in her ears, bouncing inside her head; remembered the feeling of an exterior power rushing through her veins, invading her own body like a burning fire, and it felt so natural. 

“It is a double edged sword, my child. You can learn to use this forces, to let them in and bond with them, working in partnership. They will all answer to you, but you need to learn to control it. Otherwise, they can drag you to them, imbedded so deeply into you that it is they who control you, and it will consume you. You need to learn how to stop these connections when they get dangerous.” 

“Can you also wield the ring?” She asked, her voice cautious. 

“No” He answered almost immediately, eyes widening at her question. “I cannot. And I would not dare to. I can perceive it, and it can perceive me, but nothing more. It reads me as a separate being, strange to it. On the other hand, it recognizes you as part of it, as another spirit it can attach to. And not only the rings, Almarëa but nature as well. The forest, the wind, the river, they all respond to you as an extension of their selves, only that it is harder for you to notice for their power is much lesser than that of ring and therefore less obvious.” 

“Since you were not a baby, your mother and I noticed that you responded to things that were not physical, not visible to all. I suspected that you too could hear the forest, for you reacted whenever I could hear it, but I could not be entirely sure. Still, I did not imagine the level of sensitivity you have demonstrated to posses.”

“I do not believe the attack you suffered today was destined for you, or was on purpose. Darkness spreads through these lands. Mordor grows stronger each day, its number of allies increasing by the minute. Whatever it was that attacked you did not mean to find you. You were simply pulled into it as a reaction, the dark force sensing your spirit immediately. You need to learn how to create barriers, strengthen your spirit and your mind to be able to pull back.” 

She felt her heart drumming in her throat, her body suddenly feeling cold as the words slowly downed into her. The King’s infinite eyes stared gently into hers, ice blue irises stressing the seriousness of his words, but she could see an unmistakable gleam of pain in them. 

Suddenly she felt scared, weaker than she had ever felt in her life. She wanted to brace herself, to at least pretend that some sort of protection surrounded her, but her arms would not move. She tried to mask her fear from showing on her face, but to now avail. She knew her eyes were completely transparent now. 

“Is that how you knew I was being attacked?” She phrased it as a question, but it was more of a statement, her voice coming out so shaky and faint she did not even recognize it. “You were also pulled towards the darkness.” 

She did not know from where she got that conclusion, but the serious expression on the King’s fair face as his eyes pierced through hers once more only made the statement feel truer. 

“Yes.” He said at last, the seriousness in his eyes turning once again into vast seas of sorrow and pain.

She tried to stay calmed, to take even breaths, but was largely failing. She could feel her fear starting to rise inside of her, rising at the possibility of another unexpected attack happening in any second. She felt her chest constricting painfully and her throat starting to close, preventing air from flowing to her lungs. Panic started to rise inside of her, and she tried to suppress it, but was failing miserably. She did not want this, did not want another attack, did not want to hear Vilya whispering to her, did not want to hear the trees singing a melody only her ears, and the King’s apparently, could hear. 

“I do not want it to happen.” She said, feeling that each second less air flowed successfully to her already constricted lungs. “I do not want another attack. I do not want to be pulled, not able to escape…”

She had to stop, feeling cut off of air. She was shaking, struggling to breath and keep her composure but her body seemed to be acting on its own. The Elvenking immediately pulled closer to her, strong arms encircling her trembling body. She did not pull away, trying to regain her breath as her cheek came in contact with the rich fabric of his formal robes. 

“I am sorry. I am so very sorry. Nothing will happen to you” He whispered instantly, holding her tightly against him. “I will not let any harm come to you, Almarëa.” 

She tried to concentrate on his words, wanting to believe them, but it felt as if part of her believed that not even the powerful King of Mirkwood was capable of such thing. She closed her eyes tightly, focusing her thoughts on trying to calm herself, chocking for air. The King’s embrace felt so strange and comforting at the same time, her body seeming to remember the touch although her mind could not. Suddenly, in that moment, he did not feel like the powerful King of an elven realm. 

“I will not let anything happen to you.” He repeated, one hand softly stroking her hair at the back of her head. “Now breathe and try to relax.” 

She concentrated on her breathing again, his close presence helping somewhat to ease her constricted throat, allowing air to slowly flow back into her lungs. She gripped his robes tighter, keeping her eyes closed as her trembling started to lessen.

He kept stroking her hair, his presence feeling so serene and pacifying. Slowly, she was able to breathe calmly again, her tensed and shaking body relaxing entirely, suddenly feeling weaker and more tired than she had before. 

“Are you feeling better?” His voice was soft and calmed as he spoke, still cradling her in his strong arms. 

She nodded her head as a response, not trusting her voice to answer. In fact, she was not even sure she had a voice at that moment. Carefully, he lowered back onto the pillows, into a semi-sitting position. One slender hand travelled to her cheek, forcing her eyes to focus on his infinite pair of ice blue ones. 

“I will not let any harm come to you from this, do you understand?” His eyes seemed to speak louder than his voice and words, staring so deeply into her that she could not pull away. She nodded her head again, the movement so faint she was not sure he caught it. 

“I will teach you how to control yourself and limit your powers; how to strengthen your mind and spirit to resist these forces, as well as how to use them. It will not be easy, but I know you can do it.” 

She nodded her head silently again, unable to look away from the power of his infinitely expanding eyes. A small smile grew on his fair face, illuminating a faint gleam in his eyes. Then, without saying anything else, he rose from the bed and gracefully walked towards the small table in one corner of the room. 

She followed him with her eyes as he carefully lifted the tray of untouched food in his hands carrying it back towards the bed. He placed it gently over the covers next to her before sitting back down on his previous spot. 

“Try to eat something. You missed lunch and it is already past dinner.” 

Her eyes widened in surprise at his words. She had not realized for how long she had slept, and the most shocking of all was that she did not feel entirely well rested. Her head no longer ached, true, but she still felt slightly disoriented and extremely weak. She gazed down at the assortment of fruits and breads on the tray, her stomach feeling sick only by the sight of it. 

“Try if only one bite. It will help you feel better.” He added, able to read her thoughts easily through her eyes. 

She took a tiny piece of lembas to her mouth almost reluctantly, eating very slowly and taking only small pieces at a time. The food somehow made her feel better, even though she merely nibbled at it. She only took three or four bites of the bread before letting the tray aside, not able to swallow anything more. 

The Elvenking said something in elvish, his voice cold and serene, holding a confidence and authority no creature in Arda would dare to question. She saw the door open in response and a fair looking maid she had never seen walked quickly into the room. The King said something else, motioning to the tray on the bed with a graceful motion of a hand, and the maid immediately picked it up, carrying out of the room in silence. 

“Try to rest now. Tomorrow you will feel stronger.” His hand started to softly stroke her hair once more making her eyelids feel even heavier. 

She felt tired, exhausted even. The powerful words of the Elvenking still rang in her ears, dancing in her head like haunted ghosts. Some things were clearer now, and yet there so many other things she had not yet asked, so many things she still did not understand. Her mind wanted to ask, to find out as much as she could, and yet her body was too tired to obey her. 

“Has this ever happened to you?” She asked as her mind slowly started to drift off. She did not know why she was asking. She guessed she wanted to feel reassured that she was not the only one who had gone through this. “An attack like this one I mean” 

Her eyes fell closed, her eyelids too heavy for her to keep them open any longer. 

“Many times” She heard him answer, the gentle voice sounding distant now, the feeling of the hand softly stroking her hair slowly disappearing as she submerged into a restful sleep for the remaining of the night…


End file.
